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TORONTO, June 18 /CNW/ - RTNDA Canada - The Association of Electronic
Journalists is pleased to announce the new RTNDA Canada Award for Diversity
will be named after the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson.
The Adrienne Clarkson Diversity Award will be awarded for the news story,
feature or series on television or radio that best exemplifies or explores an
issue of diversity.
RTNDA Canada is committed to promoting diversity in Canadian news
broadcasting and Adrienne Clarkson personifies that goal, says Bob McLaughlin,
RTNDA's President. "During her career as a journalist, television host, writer
and most recently as Canada's Governor-General, she has broken down barriers
and been a role model for many Canadians - especially journalists."
Ms. Clarkson is well known from her work in broadcasting. She started as
a freelance book reviewer on CBC's Take Thirty and within a year became
co-host and one of the first members of a visible minority to host a prominent
program on Canadian airwaves. She went on to become a novelist and regular
contributor to publications such as Maclean's magazine. When CBC created The
Fifth Estate in 1975 - they called on Ms. Clarkson to be its first co-host.
Ms. Clarkson has received numerous awards including a Gemini, a Gemeaux
and a Donald Brittain award for best social/political documentary program. In
October 1999, Adrienne Clarkson was sworn in as the 26th Governor-General of
Canada. After leaving Rideau Hall, Ms Clarkson founded the Institute for
Canadian Citizenship for the purpose of helping new citizens participate in
mainstream civic and social life."
Ms. Clarkson will personally hand out the first Adrienne Clarkson
Diversity Awards at the RTNDA Canada National Conference in Vancouver during
the President's gala on June 22, 2007 at the Sutton Place Hotel.
RTNDA Canada is the voice of electronic journalists and news managers in
Canada. The members of RTNDA Canada recognize the responsibility of broadcast
journalists to promote and to protect the freedom to report independently
about matters of public interest and to present a wide range of expressions,
opinions and ideas. The RTNDA Canada Code of Ethics, adopted by the Canadian
Broadcast Standards Council, is used to measure fairness and accuracy in our
profession.